Cancer patient suffered due to diagnosis delay, report says

The patient should have been given an MRI scan when he was first admitted, the ombudsman said

A cancer patient suffered "unnecessarily" because a hospital failed to diagnose his condition soon enough, an ombudsman's report has said.

The 59-year-old man went to Morriston Hospital, Swansea, complaining of back pain and blurred vision in February 2012, but was sent home after a week.

Tests later revealed he had cancer, and he died in March 2012.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board has apologised to his family for shortcomings in his care.

Pain

The patient - named in the report as Mr B - was seen at the emergency department at Morriston where he reported a build-up of lower back pain over several weeks, adding that he had lost weight and his appetite.